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Selected:Architecture Decision RecordSAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)Force Field AnalysisArgument Mapping
| Criterion |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Decision Making Force Field Analysis |  Decision Making Argument Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | An ADR permanently records an architecture decision with context, trade-offs, and consequence. It creates continuity for later changes because the decision path stays traceable. | SAAM helps teams judge an architecture’s suitability for selected tasks and changes. It is particularly useful for examining modifiability and comparing architecture alternatives with clear reasoning. | In change initiatives, supporting and restraining forces sit at the table at the same time. Force Field Analysis makes these tensions explicit and shows where change can be pushed forward by strengthening or relieving. | When statements, evidence, and counterarguments get mixed up, a debate quickly loses its structure. Argument Mapping breaks a thesis down into its reasoning and makes visible what it really rests on. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | High | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 15-45 min | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 45-90 min | 1-3 h |
Participantsdifferent | 1-3 | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 3-12 | 1-8 |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Domain functions mapped to components and connections, Quality attributes and evaluation criteria, Typical tasks and their effects on the architecture, Reasoned evaluation or comparison of alternatives | Force Field Map, Change Levers, Risk Notes | Argument Map, Evidence Gaps, Decision Rationale |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | ChangeDecisionStrategy | SensemakingDecisionRationale |